Dilemma – not sure I did the right thing

Heading back home down a dimly light leafy lane on bike earlier and at the last second I saw a squirrel dart out of the banking – no time to react and felt the back wheel catch it. Yanked the brakes on and turned around to see to spinning around in some distress. Dumped bike down and walked over thinking ‘shit what have I done?!’. It was thrashing about and made it to the opposite bank with blood all over one of its front paws and gurgling on blood. My first instinct was to put it out of its misery – I had my foot over its head as by now after a few mins it was shallow breathing and seemingly seconds from dying. It carried on for another 5 mins and again I had my foot poised. I just couldn’t do it but felt like I had to stay with it – I locked for a big rock as that seemed less brutal than ‘feeling’ it via my foot. Apologised and left it. Felt like shit. What would you have done? Death was inevitable – next time I think it will it a swift rock to make it quick

Bludgeon it to death, take it home and hang it up in your porch, or on your garden fence. Killing a grey is something to be proud of. Take a photo of it and send it to the RSST; they’ll probably send you a medal in the post.

Ive read OP a couple of times but cant quite figure the conclusion: did you finish it off quickly with your foot? If so, you did the right thing as I’d hate to leave an animal/bird suffering a lingering death…still remember having to finish off a wood pigeon with my foot 🙁

I once ended the life of a very battered mouse who’d been mauled by my cat by taking it out onto the drive during a thundery, wet night. When the brick came down on it it popped and splattered its entrails over my work shoes.

Not pleasant at all.

If anyone had seen me I’m pretty sure they’d have called the police. It was like something out of a horror film.

Squirrels, not the brightest things are they! Chopped a tree down last week, the day after, one still attempted to leap on to it from its neighbouring tree despite it not having been there for 24 hours. I guess this is how flying sqirrels evolved, this one did scamper off however as it had the good fortune to land on soft ground.